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One Sign of Economic Downturn - More Con Jobs!

I'm a member of an online forum and one topic came up about an elaborate con job just to steal a mobile gadget.  But a very expensive gadget.  Read and be wary...there are people who are willing to go to all lengths for illicit profit.

The post in MyPDACafe

And if you're too lazy to click, here's the gist of it, spelling mistakes and all.  But you have to remember that this was written by a guy in mourning.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well... before i start my ramblings...

Data on the PDA Phone that was 'given away'

HTC TYTNII
Hw Serial ht548dv07365

I had a phone call to the office in the morning about 1030am asking for the sales person. This guy called Liew, introduced himself as a CFO of SJ resources. He says that his Director, Patricia is looking for purchasing some equipments as their company is going listed and has new product research & development... I did a google search, and this company did many things from food stuff, manufacturing, some biotech stuff (don't know whether related but it had that SJ xxx Resources name)

I tried to ask more but he says he is not so technical and have to ask Patricia... he chatted that like information is very confidential as they are going to be listed and how another media company cheated them where they sold some information to another competitor, etc...

In short, these stories are so real and I myself have heard of these...

So he asked me whether I'm free to meet up with them today... He said he would bring more info about the company and products that they are interested. I asked him how he knows us, he said last year, our customer gave him our contact but at that time did not call us...

So believing as I had a number of calls within this 2 weeks that new prospects and customers call up... and we also had referrals like this before...

So the appointment was set at 2.30pm...

I called up my boss and told him about this appointment and told him I got a very funny feeling and they are too friendly and something was not right... I told him, that if I got kidnap or suddenly missing, at least he knows where I am... At that point, I was joking...

So driving to Ampang Park, I receive a call for Liew, he says his hp is out of battery... and he has to call from a public phone.... he told me to meet him at Guardian at the main entrance...

So I waited at there but not really exactly at that spot, then i received another call asking where was I and ask me to go up the escalator and meet him at the open food court area...

So I went up and waited for a little while... I believe he was checking me out...

Then he came and shook his filthy hands... and he brought me to Pizza hut... as we sat down a few seconds later... my phone rang and it was lo and behold Patricia... asking me whether her partner belanja me makan and whether I have eaten and had a small talk with her...

Then she asked whether she could speak to Liew... so they had they small chat, saying that waiting for her, my name is Sam for this company and that, etc... Then the waiter came and ask us for drinks and ask me to order a small pan pizza as he was on the phone... He even mentioned my boss name, with Patricia and whether I can pass some items for him.

Then suddenly he said "you don't know the way ah" in their conversation. "There at ampang park, pizza hut" it was so natural and the story line was so clean, as he introduce themselves from Singapore... so he was directing her and suddenly he stood up as if she was near and showing her where we are...

So he went downstairs to lead her... As he left the table, there was this CD with "Company Profile" and also 2 envelopes attention to Patricia, sealed and stapled...

See the whole modus operandi? So planned out... the food ordering to hold me back, the items on the table... the date on the CD also so believable... dated in like end of 2007... so detailed....

I waited like 10min and was anxious, where are these ppl... so i when downstairs to call my mobile on the public phone... He picked up and said he is nearby at OSK, as Patricia is familiar with the place... so i went up again and sat down. I took his CD and saw it was empty, nothing burned, inserted into my notebook, nothing... The first thought is maybe he brought the wrong CD, it happens right?

I went online to check with our admin in Melaka and check whether my boss knows any Patricia, she checked and she said none that he can remember... I told Jo, if I get conned, this is one of the best in my history...

Then another 15min, I called again... He said they are on the way to Malaysian Tobacco and ask me whether can go there and meet them... I told him I want my phone back and I am waiting for him at Pizza Hut before my coins ran out...

At the point, this is really something wrong, I open up the envelopes that are sealed slowly, so that if I'm wrong, I still can put it back, I even ask the staff for a stapler to stapled it back if mistaken... !@$#!!! empty paper!!! The next envelope, I just ripp it apart! Newspaper! !@#!@#!!!!

start calling my number but goes into message... I called our KL admin up and ask her to cancel my handphone....

I'm done... I just gave my precious pda phone to this old forty plus chinese man! Which looks so polite and mannered with a neck tie!

Called my beloved and told her that I got conned... suppose to bring her out at night for 'jalan jalan' but plans all gone...

Wanted to go home already... but thought for a little while, maybe can see this guy on CCTV... I asked for the manager to see whether can catch the video, she says need police report and necessary authorization from HQ.

So I went to the Police station across the road and made a report... it seems that some of the police know this modus operandi... and told me exactly... even the manager of Pizza Hut told me this happened also last month...

Finished my report, dashed through the rain to Pizza Hut again... and pass the letter... now waiting for Pizza Hut to release at least a photo or video footage of the incident...

What I lost or spent:
My PDA... RM3200
PDA Cover RM40
My Parking Ticket... RM8.80
Pizza... RM17.70
Petrol... RM20
Thumbdrive... RM60
Micro SDs... RM450
My missed plan time with my beloved... Priceless

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